First Look: RDJ from Iron Man 2

What do I think? The lab looks bigger...definitely more number of suits, RDJ again looking the part, cool new gadgetry. All in all, a step up on the previous movie while still maintaining the familiar look and ambiance.
Only doubt I have about the movie, though, is Jon Favreau. Make no mistake, I absolutely loved the first movie...till the last 20 minutes, that is, when we had a robot fight extravaganza, which, of course, has been done better in Transformers. Also, I'm not too convinced by Favreau's past record--I have a lot of trouble accepting him as a legit director. Anyway, sure do hope they Iron out the flaws and make a kick-ass movie!

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Transformers 2, Trailer 2 in HD

Bigger, better, kick-ass!


Was that the Scorponk theme, from the first movie, played out on electric guitar I hear in the beginning? Linkin Park are rumored to be scoring the movie with Hans Zimmer, so I won't be all that surprised...

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Transformers: Megan Fox audition tape

Just been crawling around on the net, and what do I find? Megan Fox auditioning for her part in Transformers! And no, contrary to popular belief, it doesn't just include her turning up--the poor girl actually had to recite some lines too...a task she had trouble with in the film too...but who's complaining?

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Transformers 2 Superbowl Spot

Now THIS looks like the good action flick I mentioned earlier...

This has gotten me drooling no end-it seems bigger, better and more action packed (leave it to Michael Bay to up the ante!) than the first Transformers movie...

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G.I. Joe Superbowl Commercial

I've never been a G.I. Joe fan, but when news of the in-development movie came along, I got a little excited at the prospect of watching a good action movie. After seeing this Superbowl spot for the movie, I've gotta say, I've given up all hope of a good actioner.

Lines like "What did you say your name was? -I didn't" are just so corny. Plus, Eiffel Tower being attacked by plants?! Please! Which begs the question, what is Dennis Quaid doing in a corny little flick like this!?!

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2009 Oscar nominees

Now that I've (almost) accepted the fact that I won't be seeing one of the best movies of 2008 win the Best Picture Oscar, I can finally put up the Oscar nominee list...

Best Picture
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

Best Director
David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”
Gus Van Sant, “Milk”
Stephen Daldry, “The Reader”
Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”

Best Actor
Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor”
FrankLangella, “Frost/Nixon”
Sean Penn, “Milk”
Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”

Best Actress
Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”
Melissa Leo, “Frozen River”
Meryl Streep, “Doubt”
Kate Winslet, “The Reader”

Best Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin, “Milk”
Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder”
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt”
Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
Michael Shannon, “Revolutionary Road”

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, “Doubt”
Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Viola Davis, “Doubt”
Taraji P. Henson, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler”

Best Adapted Screenplay
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Doubt”
“Frost/Nixon”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

Best Original Screenplay
“Frozen River”
“Happy-Go-Lucky”
“In Bruges”
“Milk”
“WALL-E”

Best Animated Feature Film
“Bolt”
“Kung Fu Panda”
“WALL-E”

Best Foreign Language Film
“The Baader Meinhof Complex”
“The Class”
“Depatures”
“Revanche”
“Waltz with Bashir”

Best Documentary Feature
“The Betrayal (Nerkhoon)”
“Encounters at the End of the World”
“The Garden”
“Man on Wire”
“Trouble the Water”

Best Art Direction
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“The Duchess”
“Revolutionary Road”

Best Cinematography
“Changeling”
“TheCurious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

Best Costume Design
“Australia”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Duchess”
“Milk”
“Revolutionary Road”

Best Film Editing
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Milk”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

Best Makeup
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”

Best Music (Original Score)
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Defiance”
“Milk”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“WALL-E”

Best Music (Original Song)
“Slumdog Millionaire” ("Jai Ho")
“Slumdog Millionaire” ("O...Saya")
“WALL-E”

Best Sound Editing
“The Dark Knight”
“Iron Man”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“WALL-E”
“Wanted”

Best Sound Mixing
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“WALL-E”
“Wanted”

Best Visual Effects
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Iron Man”

Best Documentary Short Subject
“The Conscience of Nhem En”
“The Final Inch”
“Smile Pinki”
“The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306″

Best Short Film (Animated)
“La Maison de Petits Cubes”
“Lavatory - Lovestory”
“Oktapodi”
“Presto”
“This Way Up”

Best Short Film (Live Action)
“Aufder Strecke (On the Line)”
“Manon on the Asphault”
“New Boy”
“The Pig”
“Spielzeugland(Toyland)”

The ones in italics are my predictions. Wherever I wasn't decided, I picked the one whose name sounded more appealing (like in Best Short Film-Animated and Best Short Film-Live Action) :D

PS: Tchch tchch...what a farce! The best adapted screenplay wasn't even nominated! Nor was the best original soundtrack..! :(

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Bourne the next Bond?

In a move that could see the Jason Bourne series becoming Universal's answer to the Bond series, Universal Studios has signed an agreement with the Ludlum estate that gives them exclusive rights to the Jason Bourne character and first look at other Ludlum novels.
This move paves the way for future installment in the lucrative series, starring Matt Damon in the title role, which has already raked in over a billion USD worldwide.

Originally intended as a trilogy, there's a fourth flick in the works at present. Damon reprises his role, while Paul Greengrass (who helmed the last two outings), returns as the director. The as yet untitled film is set for a 2010 release.
Personally, even though I'm more of a Bond fan (especially since Craig's taken over), I also like the Bourne series a lot, and so, really look forward to seeing a whole series of Bourne flicks. That is, only if they can maintain the current (very high) standards....

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Dark Knight snubbed

Variety magazine reports that the soundtrack for Chris Nolan's masterpiece, The Dark Knight, won't be eligible for an Oscar nomination. The score, credited to Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, has been disqualified because too many other people were also listed as composers on the score cue sheets.
Besides Zimmer and Howard, three others were listed as 'composers'-music editor Alex Gibson, ambient music designer Mel Wesson and composer Lorne Balfe. According to Academy rules, for a score to be eligible, over 70% has to be attributed to the principle composer (in this case, Zimmer and Howard). Even though all involved signed a document saying that this was the case, the Academy was left unmoved.
This comes as a real disappointment for me. The soundtrack was one of the most innovative, yet melodic ones I've ever heard, and had that special quality of growing on you each time you listened to it. After an Academy snub for the equally wonderful Batman Begins score (incidentally, because of the same reason), I was really hoping to see Zimmer and Howard get the gold statuettes for The Dark Knight....

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Angels and Demons teaser

The first teaser trailer for Angels and Demons is here. Check it out....

Looks pretty impressive, and from what I can gather, Tom Hanks has done away with the crazy-no-sideburns-hairstyle he had in The Da Vinci Code. I just hope the movie's as good as that....

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The Top 5 Bond Themes

As the wait for Bond 22, Quantum of Solace, enters its final phase, I decided to listen to all the 22 themes again and list out, what I feel, are the top 5 Bond themes. A word of caution though, the major criterion for judging is how well the song stands up on its own. I don't really care for the big Bond sound many critics harp about, all I care about is whether or not I like the song. So, in essence, I'm judging the song, and not how well it sticks up to past stereotypes. So, here goes....

#5 A View to a Kill (Duran Duran, 1985, from A View to a Kill)
The song's peppy, even though it sounds really jaded now. The lyrics make decent enough sense. And, it's the only Bond theme ever to make it to the #1 spot on the American pop charts.

#4 Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney & Wings, 1973, from Live and Let Die)
Macca's voice is divine, his piano bridge inspirational, and the guitar work really foot tapping. It's downright melodious with lots of great percussion work. It's the only Bond theme to have been covered by the great Guns N' Roses. Enough, to make this one Bond theme I adore.

#3 On Her Majesty's Secret Service (John Barry Orchestra, 1969, from On Her Majesty's Secret Service)
This is John Barry's melodious masterpiece. This is only the third instrumental piece in Bond history to be used as the main title theme. And, it is easily the best of the three. The foreboding love theme really goes well with the overall tone of the movie, which introduced us to a new Bond in the highly underrated George Lazenby. Brilliant. Really.

#2 The World is not Enough (Garbage, 1999, from The World is not Enough)
Shirley Manson's seductive voice acts as the perfect foil for David Arnold's sweeping symphonics. Manson's band mates gel in well to make this song an almost perfect mix of strings, voice and lyrics. Add to that a hummable theme, and you have the number 2 song on the list.

#1 You Know My Name (Chris Cornell, 2006, from Casino Royale)
Widely considered as the second worst Bond theme (the first being the immensely forgettable Another Way to Die) by the Bond puritans, I consider this to be the best theme ever. The stuffy and prudish puritans underestimate the raw power of Cornell's voice, which gelled in really well with the gritty tone of the movie. They fail to appreciate the cold lyrics, and the highly symphonic theme, which, in many ways, is a precursor to the Monty Norman/John Barry Bond theme.

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New Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince trailer

In a move, which I believe, has been taken to quell some of the anti-Potter sentiment, Warner Bros has released a new, really slick Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince trailer. Check it out....

The movie comes out on July 17, 2009, after it was pushed back by more than 6 months.

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Sherlock the Tramp

I just happened to stumble upon some set pics from Guy Ritchie's upcoming Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr as Holmes and Jude Law as Watson.


Who/what is that? Elementary, my dear Watson. That, is Robert Downey dressed up as Holmes. Now, call me weird or what you may, but THAT, to me, looks more like Charlie Chaplin than Holmes. I mean purple jacket and multi colored waistcoat? Sure the Joker was a hit wearing that, but this is Holmes for Pete's sake! Still, I'll give those involved the benefit of the doubt, considering how I don't know the context of the scene being filmed.
Watson, on the other hand, looks more like the Watson of yore, though a bit on the young side...

For more pics of Downey Jr as Holmes, click here.

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The Best Actors Working Today

Even Rob Schneider can act. Sometimes, that is. But what really makes an actor great? For me, it's all about subtlety. No over-the-top histrionics. Just those subtle nuances and character traits the good actors come up with for their roles. Oh, and of course, variety. Any actor can play the same kind of role over and over again, but the good ones can keep reinventing themselves to suit their role.
Keeping all this in mind, I decided to compile a list of who, I think, are the best actors in Hollywood right now. Some people might complain of a certain bias, but hey, I like them for the above mentioned reasons, and nobody has to agree with me. So, here goes....

#10 Jack Black
Now, a lot of people might be surprised to see his name pop up on this list. But then, he's one of the few (if not the only) actors, who can play quirky, eccentric characters better than Johnny Depp himself.

#9 Tom Hanks
When you can win back to back Oscars, you certainly can't be taken lightly. Add to that 3 other nominations, and you certainly are an amazing actor. Okay, so he was lambasted for his role as Robert Langdon in The Da Vinci Code (lambasted by the critics, that is. Personally, I thought he was pretty good), but then, he's shown time and again just how good he is.

#8 Gary Oldman
That he can act is just an understatement. He can make honesty look like an exciting virtue (like in The Dark Knight), he can be a solid pillar of support (like in the Harry Potter series), and he can be the perfect anti-hero (Dracula, Sid & Nancy).

#7 Jack Nicholson
The only reason why he can play Jack Nicholson so effortlessly and effectively on screen everytime, is because he finds the character in him. All the character traits seem to come so naturally to him, that you begin to wonder whether he is actually acting, or being himself. Yeah, he ends up becoming bigger than the film sometimes, but as an actor, he is a complete natural.

#6 Edward Norton
Infamous for his constant meddling during the film making process (and sometimes hated by studios for that), Norton has shown time and again why he's considered to be such a good actor. From comic book hero to a reformed neo-Nazi, he's become each one of his roles. That he's been nominated for 2 Oscars just adds to his credentials.

#5 Brad Pitt
He's shown time and again that he's more than just Mr Pretty Boy. He can be funny, he can be brutal, he can be anything you want him to be. All while munching a sandwich or drinking coffee. Probably, one Oscar nomination, and zero wins, is the only area of his career he'd like to rectify....

#4 Ralph Fiennes
Sadly, the present generation will remember him only for his turn as Lord Voldemort, forgetting all about his glorious past roles like those in The English Patient, Spider and Schindler's List. His intense performances are what earn him a place on this list.

#3 Christian Bale
Long before he was Batman, he was noticed as an upcoming talent in Spielberg's Empire of the Sun. Even though he's come a long way since then, his great knack for investing himself completely in to his roles, and then delivering wonderfully subtle performances, hasn't diminished. To me, he's one of the best actors NOT to have won the Oscar. Hopefully, the Academy will finally give him their nod too...

#2 Russell Crowe
He beats up photographers, he throws things, and he doesn't look good. Recipe for disaster? Not when you have the range of Crowe. Only he can pull off a stunt as audacious as essaying the title and his arch rival in the same movie (in the upcoming Nottingham). From bumbling geniuses to cocky western baddies, he's played them all with equal believability.

#1 Johnny Depp
Known mostly for his eccentrically quirky characters (like Edward Scissorhands, Captain Jack Sparrow....), Depp has also shown that he can be amazing in sensitive dramas (like Finding Neverland) and mindless action flicks (like Once Upon A Time in Mexico). That he's been nominated for just 3 Oscars (and won none), is a matter of great shame, for he brings an amazing flair and believability to all his roles, no matter how weird they might be.

Other honorable mentions, in no particular order:

• Matt Damon
• Philip Seymour Hoffman
• Liam Neeson
• Leonardo DiCaprio
• George Clooney
• Hugo Weaving
• Clive Owen
• Robert Downey Jr
• Mark Wahlberg
• Greg Kinnear
  

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Angels and Demons teaser poster

The teaser poster for the film adaptation of Dan Brown's Angels and Demons has been released. Directed by Ron Howard, with Tom Hanks reprising his role as Robert Langdon, the film is being projected as a sequel to The Da Vinci Code, in contrast with the book version, which was a prequel.The poster looks really ominous and mysterious. I really can't wait for the flick to be released now, especially because I really really liked The Da Vinci Code (the film), and consider the Angles and Demons story to be better than The Da Vinci Code story....

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"Another Way To Die" video

The video for the new Bond theme song, Another Way to Die, has been released. Clocking in at 4:25, the video doesn't feature much footage from the movie, save for a quick clip of Bond walking in the desert, which we also got to see in the trailer.

Though highly stylized and visually very spectacular, it does little to make me like the song. I hate Alicia Keys' overly bronzed look. I hate how White manages to sound like Keys (in fact, while listening to the song, I thought it was Keys singing certain sections, when actually it was White singing). And I hate just how little of the movie footage has been included in the song. Ugh...I hope the movie doesn't turn out to be as trashy as the theme!

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"Another Way To Die"

Another Way To Die, the theme song for the new Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, has finally been released. Performed by Jack White (of The White Stripes) and Alicia Keys it is the first duet ever in the history of James Bond soundtracks. Click here to listen to it online.

The track will be released on a limited edition 7-inch single (only 6,000 copies of the single will be released worldwide), starting 30th September in the US, and 6th October in the UK. It's available for pre-order from amazon.com or recordstore.co.uk. The track is also available to purchase for digital download worldwide (excluding North America) through the iTunes Store. For North American fans, the track will be available from the 23rd of October.
While the reaction from fans has been mixed, I personally, didn't like the song very much, preferring Chris Cornell's You Know My Name from Casino Royale to this. What I feel is lacking in this song is the raw power that Cornell brought into You Know My Name, with both White and Keys making this song overtly lovey-dovey in tone. I have said earlier, and I stand by my point that Amy Winehouse would have been better for a Bond theme. But alas, love it or hate it, this is the song that's going to make it to the Quantum of Solace soundtrack.

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Lyrics
Another ringer with the slick trigger finger for Her Majesty
Another one with the golden tongue poisoning your fantasy
Another bill from a killer turned a thrill into a tragedy

Chorus
A door left open
A woman walking by
A drop in the water
A look in the eye
A phone on the table
A man on your side
Someone that you think that you can trust is just
Another way to die

Another tricky little gun giving solace to the one that'll never see the sunshine
Another inch of your life sacrificed for your brother in the nick of time
Another dirty money, heaven sent honey turning on a dime

[Chorus]

Another girl with her finger on the world singing do you whatcha wanna hear?
Another gun thrown down and surrendered took away your fear
Hey! Another man that stands right behind you looking in the mirror

[Chorus]

Suit 'em up, bang bang!

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QoS theatrical trailer

The theatrical trailer of the next James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace. Clocking in at 2 minutes 21 seconds, it is a direct continuation of the teaser trailer and expands on the role of Dominic Greene, the villain, and the new Bond girl, Camille, while also ramping up the action.
When Marc Forster (Monster's Ball, The Kite Runner, Finding Neverland) was confirmed as the director, I started gearing myself up for a quieter, much more introspective Bond, who would seldom burst into any action. But, must say, this trailer has dispelled all those fears!

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Get the trailer:
MPEG-4 (Right-Click, "Save As")
Standard Def (480p)

QuickTime (Right-Click, "Save As")
Standard Def (480p) (50.7Mb)
High Def (720p) (124.2Mb)
High Def (1080p) (178.6Mb)

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Are posthumous Oscars fair?

I ran into this poll (obviously fuelled by the posthumous Oscar buzz that Ledger is generating) on gaurdian.co.uk. I voted (in the affirmative, if you must know), and was more than just surprised by the results-I was alarmed! The results showed that it was a close race (59.4% for, 40.6 against), which really got me thinking about the fairness of posthumous Oscars....
Oscars, as I understand, are given for excellence in that particular field for that particular year. If that be the case, then why should it matter whether the person is still living or dead? The recipient excelled in that field, and that is the bottom line. He/She is being felicitated for that, and not for being alive till the time of the Oscars.
But having said that, if the candidate wins only because of the 'sympathy' factor, then, that Oscar isn't fair. From what I understand of the voting system, all the people associated with the various Guilds cast their votes to decide their winner. When we can trust the members not to be partial towards their nominated friends (or for that matter, themselves), I think we can also trust them enough to be emotionally unbiased. Also, deaths in the industry keep happening, but there has been just one case of a posthumous Oscar (Peter Finch, 1976) in all these years. This just shows that the jury can be trusted enough to be emotionally neutral and unbiased in all respects. And so, I think that posthumous Oscars are fair.

So, what do you think? Are posthumous Oscars fair, or not? Head out here and cast your vote.

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